Gadgets for book lovers

It is my worst nightmare to see my books go up into flames, but this bookmark is quite fun! A great way to mark the page of the hot book you are reading. Click here to find out more. This bookmark reminds me of the famous book by Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451. A couple of days ago a new adaption of this book came out, authorised by Bradbury. To learn more about this book, go here.

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about the new translation of “Time was soft there” by Jeremy Mercer in my native language, Dutch. (See here.) The Dutch publisher gave it the title: A bed between the books (Een bed tussen de boeken). I just read it and I can recommend it to anyone who loves bookshops in general and Shakespeare and Company in Paris in particular.

Since I’ve recently been to the shop, I could picture the adventures of Mercer in this shop vividly. (Click here to read the post about my visit to the shop.) This Canadian journalist has written a very good account of his life in the bookstore. (But not dry and matter of fact at all.) And an interesting biography of the owner, George Whitman. The style of the writing was very entertaining and quite funny at times.

I actually started reading the book this morning and finished it before dinner. I just could not lay it aside. Well, I did put it away for a moment. But just to get myself a cold glass of wine to accompany me during the last chapters. In spirit of the book. I started to envy Mercer quite early on in the book, even though he lived in poverty and not very hygienic to say the least. He did live the bookish life style to the fullest. In the best shop in the world.

As the chapters moved on – or should I say ‘raced’ on – my envy changed into sheer jealousy. The life lessons he learned at the shop changed his life. He made true friends. “Sucked the marrow out of live”, to quote Thoreau. For Mercer, Shakespeare and Co were his woods. The book is a beautiful tale that proves that books sometimes truly are more important than food.

More information on the Dutch translation, “Een bed tussen de boeken” can be found here. I hate reading translations, because they are usually not very good. This one is, I have to say. Click herefor the original, Time was soft there.

Remember the post I did recently about the Paris based bookshop Shakespeare and Company? (If not, click here.) It has been brought to my attention (thank you Ineke!) that there is a book about Shakespeare and Company. Or rather, a book written by a reporter that worked there for nine months. In this book “Time was soft there”, Jeremy Mercel, tells all about his experiences in this fantastic store. Click hereto learn more about the book.

For the Dutch readers, the book has just been translated into Dutch! It is called “Een bed tussen de boeken” (A bed between the books). You can find more information on it here. Once I’ve read it, I will let you know what I think of it.

Recently I have noticed that a new collection is growing in my library. The shelve, or now shelves, that holds books about books is growing faster then any other shelve or category. I do not only like to read, I like to read about books as well. This can be anything from reading about other peoples libraries to the care for books. (Click here to view my books on books collection: English, Dutch, German.) Since I am a photographer, amongst other things, I love photo books that depict books or libraries too.

A couple of days ago, I wandered into an modern antiquarian. My heart jumped when I noticed the little area devoted to books about books and publishing. I found “A book of books” there. A wonderful book with beautiful pictures of Abelardo Morell in it. Next to the pictures are often quotations or poems by famous writers about books. If you love photography and books, this book is a must have! Learn more about the book here.

PS. If you want to read more about books about books, select the likewise named category in the side bar. (Or simply click here.)

This book has gone straight to my Amazon.com wish-list. It is called the ABC-3D and it is made by Marion Bataille. I love it! Never has the alphabet been this pretty. I cannot wait to flip trough this book and admire all the different shapes. Click here if you want to learn more about the book, or even order it!

There are some amazing libraries all over the world, which most of us will never see in person. Luckily there is a website that has pictures of the best examples. Click here to see it. I can also reccomend the book ‘Libraries’ by Candida Hofer. I am proud to finally have this book in my collection. (Click here to read a previous post about this book.)

The fantastic library of ‘our’ Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.

It has been a while since I posted a book on books, but I promise there are more to come. If you love collecting books, especially old books, this might be of interest. “Forty years of seeking and saving old books”, is the under title of this particular book. The book is written by ‘book snake’ David Meyer. If you are a book hunter, you might learn something from this man. You can search the book inside here.

PS. I have updated the “Bookish Blog Links A-Z” list. Everyone who send me a link and/or description until now should find it in the list. There are now 204 bookish blogs listed. Keep your links and descriptions coming!